Actions Speak Louder Than Words Do
by SiouxstarFromDA
Summary: These two are complete opposites, but you know what they say about opposites. This story takes place after the S-Class Exams and before the Grand Magic Games. I'm also using this story to kill two birds with one stone: to satisfy myself and others with some good ol' Gajeel X Levy fanfiction and to introduce my Fairy Tail self.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story takes place after the S-Class Exams and before the Grand Magic Games. I'm also using this story to kill two birds with one stone: to satisfy myself and others with some good ol' Gajeel X Levy fanfiction and to introduce my Fairy Tail self.**

* * *

It was just another day at the Fairy Tail guild, and Gajeel was sitting at his usual spot at the bar, although more beat up than usual. A long roll of bandages covered his left bicep and a line of butterfly stitches held together a long gash on his forehead. Ah, the injuries he received on his high-risk missions, but hey, he enjoyed the combative nature of them.

He gnawed idly on a piece of scrap metal as he looked around the room, taking stock of members present and absent, and his eyes fell upon the small Solid Script mage known as Levy McGarden. She was standing at the request board, scanning it for her next job. Gajeel smiled and softly "gihi'd" as a wave of nostalgia hit him. He remembered how strong and capable she had proven herself to him during the S-Class Exams, but to him, she will always be the Shrimp.

As Levy scanned the board, one caught her fancy: a small village in need of protection from a racketeering local guild. However, it was what the author of the request had written that also made it perfect for someone she had wanted to partner with for a while. She glanced at Gajeel, and their eyes met. Levy looked down quickly and blushed.

_Geez, what's got her flustered?_ Gajeel thought, unaware that he was about to find out. Levy walked over and sat on a barstool next to him.

"Hey, Gajeel," she said quietly, her hands folded in her lap.

"What do ya want, Shrimp?" he replied with a piece of iron between his lips. Normally, Levy would get all defensive and upset if someone called her that, but with Gajeel, she didn't mind. She found it quite endearing, actually.

"Well, um, I was wondering if, uh, you'd be willing to go on a job with me," she spoke shyly.

"Why me? Why not take Jet and Droy with ya?" Gajeel asked. Her plan to get Gajeel alone had hit a small stumbling block.

"Why not you?" Levy countered with a sudden boost in confidence. She was going to get him to go on a job with her whether he liked it or not. His eyes widened a bit, shocked to hear her being assertive. _What's gotten into her?_ he thought, not sure whether he liked this new Levy or not.

"Well...With the jobs you go on, it wouldn't be much fun fer me," he replied, but he knew what he said was a lie. Gajeel had always wanted to hang out with her, but every time he had an opportunity, Jet and Droy dashed it to pieces. He didn't want to get his hopes up, so he just abandoned all his attempts. He had resigned himself to the thought that maybe they weren't meant to be friends. But this was Levy reaching out to him, and he was totally out of his element. _Hey, this your chance to hang out with her alone, away from her drooling fanboys! Carpe fuckin' diem, man!_ his subconscious coaxed.

"Well, I chose a job that is different than the ones I usually go on, and this one also seemed like something you'd enjoy partaking in, too," she said, sliding the flier to him across the bar counter. After mentally arguing with himself, he decided to take the gamble. He grabbed it, and read it aloud:

_Help Greatly Needed_

Our village has been prey for a horrible local guild that's been extorting money from us hardworking people for several years. I didn't want to post this until I had a big enough reward to give to whoever helps us.

I am a blacksmith and a mage who can only do so much with what they have. We don't have much to give, but if you can help us get rid of them, you'll have our eternal gratitude as well.

Reward: 150,000 jewel and a piece of customized ironwork

Signed, Sam Ferros

"Gihihi, I can see why ya chose this job," Gajeel chuckled, baring his fangs in a smile and ruffling Levy's hair. "Sure, I'll go with ya. Just give me a day ta rest up, since I just got back from my last job an' all." All he heard out of her was the sound a rubber duck makes when you squeeze it, what an inhuman sound. She latched onto his right side and hugged him, smiling brightly.

"Oi, pipsqueak!" he exclaimed, a bit flustered at her sudden actions. He heard snickers from behind him.

"Oi, stripper boy! Flame brain! What're you two giggling at?!" he shouted, glaring at them. Levy let go of him and wrote something out before getting up from her seat. He heard a small thunk on the counter in front of him, and turned around to see a smaller version of Solid Script: Iron.

"It's a thank you for going on a job with me," Levy said, blushing. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Gajeel!" And with that, she walked out the guild hall doors, with him watching her. When she was out of sight and the two giggling mages went back to picking a fight with each other, he looked down at the block iron letters and smiled. Tracing the small heart in the "O" with his right index finger, his own heart beat a little harder. His hope to finally be alone with her was rekindled.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hopefully Gajeel wasn't too OOC in the last chapter. Here's the second installment.**

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At 9 in the morning, Gajeel and Pantherlily started their hike up the hill to the girls' dormitory.

"OOOIII! SHHOOORRTTYYY!" Gajeel yelled out from halfway up the Fairy Hills hill.

"Was that really necessary, Gajeel?" Pantherlily asked, covering his ears with his stubby hands. He might as well have woken up all of Magnolia, as a sword whizzed by Gajeel. He looked up and was stricken with terror. He'd seen Erza pissed before, but never in this manner. Her scarlet hair was disheveled and her face said she hadn't slept well in days.

"Gajeel, do you not respect a woman's need for a deep and _peaceful_ slumber?" she said flatly, trying to mask her irritation. Levy appeared behind her, dressed and lugging a suitcase and bookbag.

"It's okay, Erza. You can go back to bed," Levy said, smiling sheepishly. Erza turned to her, glared at her with narrowed eyes and deep frown, and walked back into the dorms.

"Hurry up, we're gonna miss the train," Gajeel called up to her. Levy nodded and started jogging down the hill with her luggage in hand. However, half between the dorms and Gajeel's spot on the hill, she stumbled and tumbled down the hill with her bags.

"Look out!" Pantherlily shouted to Gajeel, but it was too late. Before he could react, Levy barreled into him and the two tumbled down the remainder of the hill.

"You okay, Shorty?" he asked when they came to a stop. Levy had landed on top of him, and he looked up at her face, a blush slowly creeping across it.

"Uh, yeah. Are you?" she replied, getting off of him. _That was SO embarrassing! You just made a fool of yourself in front of Gajeel and the journey hasn't even started yet_, she thought.

"Other than the wind being knocked outta me, never been better, gihihi," he said, smiling with a hand behind his head.

"What an interesting start to the morning," Pantherlily commented, as he set Levy's bags down next to her. He and Gajeel looked at each other, and he raised it eyebrows at him, trying to prompt him to say something.

"Oh, uh, I hope you don't mind, but Lily is tagging along with us," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Gajeel told me the specifics about the job and dealing with a whole guild sounds like a big job, so I thought I would accompany you guys and give assistance if needed," Pantherlily said. _And to keep Gajeel from saying something stupid_, he mentally added.

Gajeel looked over the hill's crest and saw puffs of steam coming towards the...

"Train station!" Gajeel realized and suddenly scooped up Levy before bolting towards the station. Pantherlily grabbed their bags and extended his wings, catching up to them.

"Hey!" Levy squealed in protest, "I have legs, too! I can run!" She looked up at him, her cheeks puffed in anger.

"Sorry, squirt, but you've got short...well, everything. We'd never make it in time," Gajeel replied in his booming voice, taking leaps and bounds with his strong legs. She was steaming! He knew how much she hated being told she was short!

Soon, all three of them arrived at the train station just in time, and Gajeel set her down. As he leaned over to catch his breath, Levy's bookbag connected with his face. Gajeel sat stunned on the train platform and rubbed his aching nose. _I can't believe she hit me with her bag, AGAIN!_ he thought, looking up at her. Her hands were clenched into fists as she loomed over him angrily.

"That's for saying my height is a disadvantage," she huffed. Pantherlily, having landed and set her bags down, tapped her calf to get her attention.

"Forgive him, for he knows not what he does," he said calmly. "He's a brute. What did you expect?" Levy's expression softened and her hands unclenched as she realized she had blown this comment out of proportion. She exhaled and nodded to him.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," she said softly, looking away from Gajeel. He stood up and rustled her hair playfully, grinning.

"It's okay. And that was some power behind that swing, almost broke my nose this time," he said, eliciting a nervous giggle from her.

"ALL ABOARD!" the conductor yelled down the platform.

"Well, let's get going," Gajeel said, picking up his lone bag, with Levy following suit. They boarded the train, stored their luggage, and sat facing each other, Levy on one bench seat, Gajeel and Pantherlily on the other. Not long after, the train whistled to signal its departure.

"So...how long is this train ride to the village?" Gajeel asked as he leaned against the window with his arms crossed, trying to bridge the awkward silence between them.

"About 5 hours. Why?" Levy replied, unpacking her bookbag and spreading her books and paper all over the floor between them.

"Just wanted to know," Gajeel said, looking out the window as the train departed. _This is going to be the most awkward 5 hours of my life_, he thought, inwardly groaning.

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**Sorry for the chapters being so short. these were originally posted on my deviantART account. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer.**


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